Here Comes Trouble...

Green Acres Is the Place for Me

Hawk sez:

New York is where I'd rather stay.

I get allergic smelling hay. I just adore a penthouse view.

Momma I love you but give me Park Avenue.

You are my Mom. Good bye, city life.

Green Acres, we are there.

Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan Skyline (pronounced MenHATTen by the locals!) from the Miss Ellis Island, pitching back and forth in the chop. bleck

We are finally safely back in the Midwest, safe and sound. I'm pretty sure New York survived us! My friend Lori went with me, and we had a fantastic time. We buzzed around the city on the subway, becoming quite expert at making transfers and moving up a car at a time to make it into the smaller subway stops. We took the bus, and we also walked. And we walked, and we walked. And we took the train. A LOT!

Hawk thought the city was great. The first time we walked out of the Affinia and turned onto 7th Avenue headed toward the Hotel Pennsylvania, he was pretty sure he had found his place in the world. His head was up, ears alert, tail wagging, pulling to the end of his leash and never looking back! I think he would move there without hesitation if he could!

The weather in New York held up for us, and we had lots of sunshine the first couple of days. Even when it was overcast, it was great for sightseeing. The wind was pretty bad on Sunday, but it cleared off, and Lori and I did not let it stop us. Much more later, after I figure out the best way to sort the hundreds of photos I took over the course of our 5 day trip. I keep scrolling through the photo folder, but have not figured out where to even start with the sorting! I think I'll sort at least into dog show folder and city sights folder. But beyond that, it's a cluster!

I really enjoyed almost every minute of the trip, once all the chaos of arrival was behind us. We did not get off to such a great start. When we arrived at the airport in NY, I watched Hawk unloaded from the plane. The luggage handler had his hand on top of Hawk's crate steadying it as it came slowly down the conveyor belt. I watched almost in slow motion through the window of the plane as the crate got to the end of the conveyor belt, and the handler just let the crate fall door first, SMACK onto the tarmac. I screamed, and I was telling Sherri that everyone else on the plane shrieked too. Lori piped up and said, "I think that was just you!" OK, so I shrieked loud enough for everyone on the plane. I was MOST unhappy about seeing my dog dropped off the belt onto the concrete. When we got to baggage claim, it seemed to take forever for Hawk to arrive, and thankfully he was just fine. His crate had a big scuff where the initial impact hit, but the dog was healthy and happy to get out of the box. Our luggage did not make our flight. This was a direct flight, no stops, and our luggage did not arrrive. ARGH. By this point, I was ready to hop the next flight back to KC! Our luggage did get delivered to our hotel later that night, and things got much better after our initial arrival fiasco.

All in all, I'd go back to NYC any time, for a visit. I really enjoyed the city and the people. Everyone we encountered was very nice, and people went out of their way to help explain the subway and train maps the first day. The city was always busy, and we ate some great food, learned some interesting information about the city on our bus tour (I highly recommend this!), and the energy level was always up. I don't know that I would be well-suited to live there, though, because it is exhausting to always be in that high-energy atmosphere!

More from the show later, when I get a chance to go through the pix. I was able to get photos of CWC and SV judging, so have to figure out the best way to share. :-)

Start Spreadin' The News...

Start spreading the news (doesn't everyone already know we're going to Westminster?),
We're leaving today. (um, Friday really, but it's a really early flight)
I want to be a part of it - New York, New York.
These vagabond shoes (New Balance 766 with shock Abzorb soles, and sparkly Skechers for the show)
Are longing to stray (stray? Hawk's not a stray, and we're not strayin' anywhere outside of our bus map)
And step around the heart of it
New York, New York.
I want to wake up in a city,
That doesn't sleep, (well, Secaucus New Jersey, actually)
To find I'm king of the hill- ah-Top of the heap. (hmm, I'm afraid of heights)
My little town blues
Are melting away (not me, I'm sure I'll be happy to get back to the Midwest)
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it
In old New York.
If I can make it there, I'd make it anywhere (maybe not anywhere, but if Lori and I can get around NYC with our full-color flip maps, we'll know if we could be contenders on Amazing Race!)
It's up to you,New York, New York. (just us girls and the dog, and our double-decker bus tour pass!)

For OC's Mom and her Granddaughters

Hawk wanted to try from far away to do something small to help during a very sad time for the little girls. So, he's letting his brother Kane, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi,borrow his blog to share this... We hope maybe this will bring a smile, even just for a moment.